[pianotech] Broadwood Barless Grand

[David Boyce]

Yes Will, the action is normal, with action brackets in the usual 
places. It's a Herrburger type action with the long spring and loop for 
the repetition lever, rather than the Steinway 'butterfly' type spring.  
In fact, on middle C, the repetition spring was broken, and I replaced 
the repetition lever complete with spring (rather than have to rebush 
the bushed hole with centre pin that holds the spring coil), from a 
secondhand but much newer one that I had with me. It was identical.

> One thing that I find interesting is the two breaks on the bridge in 
> the treble, in the area where the top two plate struts would normally 
> be.  I am assuming that is mirroring the spacing for the hammers and 
> whips, and keys on the rails, there to accommodate the action brackets.
>
> Will Truitt

Del, you are right of course about the "jog" in the long bridge and the 
breaks in stringing which Will also commented on.  Your point about "why 
bother" seems an entirely fair one!  But it's interesting at any rate, 
that Broadwood had the financial confidence in those days to play about 
with these design experiments. I was fascinated by the Broadwood upright 
with bridge agraffes I encountered a few months ago (i posted pics 
here).  They certainly weren't scared to try stuff out!

Best regards,

David Boyce.